The What-If…? Game

How to Play: Objective: Create interesting new stories by changing parts of movies, tv shows, or video games.

This game will help you think like a writer.

You may play it with as many or as few players as you want.

Take turns asking “what-if” questions about a movie, tv show, or story. Your question should start with the words “what if …”, and your question should change the story in some way. (If you are playing by yourself, write your questions down in a journal or sketchbook.)

Example: “What if Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother was really a space alien?”

Does this question make you re-imagine the story?

Now you’re thinking as a writer!

Two Ways to Play! You don’t have to limit yourself to stories that have already been written.

Write your own stories by asking what-if questions about everyday life!

www.crankoutwords.com Kinds of What-If questions: We can ask many different kinds of what-if questions. Use the following list to inspire you.

Here are some ideas: ● What if __(character)__ was a __(job description OR gender OR being)_ instead of a __(his/her/its job/gender/being in the story)__? ○ Example: What if Cinderella was a shoemaker instead of a maid? ○ Example: What if Harry Potter was a girl instead of a boy? ○ Example: What if Olaf in Frozen was a robot instead of a snowman? ● What if __(character)__ wanted __(desire) __ instead of __(what he/she/it really wants in the story)__? ○ Example: What if Cinderella really wanted to take over the whole kingdom instead of wanting to just enjoy life and find love? ● What if __(character)___ really wasn’t ___(good/evil)___? ○ Example: What if the Evil Queen in Snow White wasn’t really evil? ● What if ___(the story or a part of the story)__ took place in OR happened OR was set in __(new setting) __ instead of __(old setting)__? ○ Example: What if Snow White was set under the sea instead of a forest? ○ Example: What if the last lightsaber battle in Star Wars Episode III took place in a ballroom instead of a lava field? ● What if ___(the story)___ was set in __(year or time period)___ instead of __(original time period of the story)___? ○ Example: What is Star Wars was set in the Wild West instead of space a long time ago in a galaxy far far away? ○ Example: What if the Lord of the Rings was set in modern times instead of thousands of years ago? ● What if __(the story’s setting)__ had OR included __(new feature)__? ○ Example: What if the sea kingdom in The Little Mermaid included sunken submarines? ○ Example: What if Pride Rock in The Lion King had a crashed UFO on top? ● What if __(new character OR ally)__ was placed in __(story or part of story)__? ○ Example: What if Darth Vader was placed in Frozen? ○ Example: What if Ariel from The Little Mermaid was placed in Cinderella? ○ Example: What if Ariel had Simba for an ally in The Little Mermaid? ● What if __(main character)_ did/did not __(new action)__ instead of __(old action)__? ○ Example: After his father was killed, what if Simba ran home and attacked scar instead of running away into the wilderness? ○ Example: What if Cinderella poisoned her step sisters instead of serving them? ○ Example: What if the Little Mermaid tried to turn Prince Eric into a merman instead of turning herself into a human? ● What if __(title)__ was a poem, commercial, story, movie, play, shopping list, etc.? ○ Example: What if Cinderalla were a poem instead of a movie? www.crankoutwords.com ○ Example: What if The Lion King were a shopping list instead of a movie? Want to keep going? Take your what-if-ing to the next level by asking what if questions about real life. This is how writers often come up with their ideas. ● Tweak a scientific law: gravity ○ Example: What if we walked on the ceiling? ● Change social behaviors: shake hands ○ Example: What if people kicked each other’s shins instead of shaking hands? ● Change society: government or school ○ Example: What if every child was sent to the moon for school? ● Change something about a religion or come up with a new one ○ Example: What if someone believed God lived in the center of the earth? ● Mix and match strange things ○ Example: What if chocolate ice cream and frogs both grew on trees? ● Change historical facts ○ Example: What if the South won the Civil War?